Apple Computer, Inc. was awarded U.S. Pat. No. 7,311,526 on Dec. 25, 2007 for a power adapter for a computer. In particular, the adapter uses a magnet to connect to a personal computer's universal serial bus (USB), as seen in FIG. 1. The adapter connector and cable are designed to secure and protect the electronic power cable of an Apple computer charger assembly known as a MAGSAFE™ Power Adapter.
The problem with this device, as well as others like it, is shown in FIG. 2. The cable tends to break easily adjacent to the connector. Severe and potentially dangerous damage can occur when the cable, which contains live powered wires, is subjected to the stress of being plugged into and unplugged from a computer. The force on the cable can cause the wire points to either tear loose from the circuit board inside the connector or to break, causing the circuits to open or to short against each other. The type of problem seen in the MAGSAFE™ Power Adapter is not limited to that particular product, however. It is common for cables to be ripped from or otherwise loosened from the connectors to which they are joined.
Moreover, the shape and size of many connectors encourages the user to grab the cable or the cable along with the connector to unplug the adapter. The repeated stresses on the cable, which typically have a somewhat flexible insulation, causes the insulation to pull away from the connector, the cable to pull out of the connector, and the wires inside the cable to be exposed or to be shorted to one another.
Thus, there remains a need for a device that supports and protects computer cables and connectors by immobilizing (with respect to the connector) the portion of the cable that is adjacent to the connector and allowing the user to easily grip the connector without gripping the cable.